Improvement in hydrants



1. A. s'TAcY.

Hydfants.

No.lsems.l K

` Patented Oct. 27,1874.

FIG-.2

FIG.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. SIAOY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVMENT IN HVDRANTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,385, dated October27,1874; application filed August 12, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. STACY, of Gincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hydrants, of which thefollowing is a specification:

This is an improvement in those hydrants whose valves are closed downupon their seats by the action of a positive screw; and the first partof my invention consists in the application to such a valve of a coil orvolute spring, which, the instant the handle of the hydrant is liberatedafter opening, operates to automatically rotate the screw, and, by sodoing, to positively close the valve, as hereinafter fully explained.The second part of my invention relates to an eccentric or equivalentdevice for maintaining the discharge, by temporarily suspending theaction ofthe self-closing mechanism when desired.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a hydrant provided withmy improvement, the upper part of the hydrant being shown in axialsection. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views ou a larger scale,representing the spring and its accessories. Figs. 4 and 5 areelevations, showing my mechanism for sus pending the action of theself-closing devices in its inoperative and operative conditions,respectively.

A may represent the hydrant-stock, of any suitable form. B is the cap ofthe same, screwthreaded interiorly to receive the screw-threaded ystem Cof collar D, that .engages with a yoke or stirrup, E, of movingwater-way F,

whose lower end constitutes the valve, in the customary manner of thisclass of water-ways. G is a coil or volute spring, whose inner extremityisattached to the stem C, and whose outer extremity is attached to thecap B. The stem C is surmounted by any suitable handle, H, or by a headfor the application of a suitable key or Spanner. The stock A isprovided with a raised seat, I, that is slotted at to permit verticalmovement of the projecting spout or nozzle f of water-way F. Bearingupon the seat I, and moving simultaneously with the nozzle f, is asliding guard-plate or escutcheon, J, whose lower end is notched at j toreceive the edge of a cam or eccentric, K, which latter is pivoted tothe stock at a. la is a handle wherewith the eccentric is manipulated.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The valve is openedandagain closed I by the rotation of the screw in opposite directions, theclosing rotation being effected automatically by means of the volutespring G, this closure being effected by the screw directly; and thepitch of the screw being necessarily such as will cause the screw toyield only to a force in the direction of its rotation, it follows thatno upward pressure of the contained fluid can open the valve.

In this respect my arrangement `differs essentially from those whosevalves are made self-closing by the action of a spring whose stress iswholly axial. Such valves are held shut wholly by the spring, and are,of course, subject to be opened by an internal pressure in excess of thespring-pressure, and. even if raised from their seats by the action of ascrew or spiral cam, are not closed thereby, nor can they be held shutby such a cam or spiral, bccause its pitch must necessarily be steepenough to permit the unrestricted action of the spring in the axialdirection, while, on the other hand,

the pitch of my screw must, with equal necessity, be so gradual as toafford unrestricted action to my selfclosing coil-a pitch whichnecessarily operates to effect a positive closure of the valve.

In the former case the closure of the valve is effected solely by thespring, the screw, it' any be employed, being of very steep pitch, andbeing for opening only, and the closure not being positive.

In my arrangement the valve is closed and heldimmovably shut by thescrew alone, the functions of the spring being merelyaccessory-namelygto insure against an accidental leaving open of thehydrant. l

As-the stress of the spring G has a continual tendency to close thehydrant, and as, in some instances, it will be desired to keep thehydrant open without the trouble of holding the handle, I have provided,with this object,

a cam or eccentric, K, which, when the Water- Way is elevated, may beengaged under the sliding plate J, as shown in Fig. 5. The cam, bypreventing the descent of the Water-way, will opera-te to hold thehydrant open. To stop the flow of Water it is then only necessary torelease the cam, which dropping to the position shown in Fig. 4, thehydrant closes immediately by the action of the spring G upon thescrew-stem C, as already explained. The form selected to illustrate myinvention may be changed in non-essential particulars. For example, aremovable pin or a turn-button may be substituted for the eccentric K.The operating-spring, instead of being coiled in a horizontal plane, asshown, may be arranged around the stem in theform of a helix, and mayoccupy a corresponding neck projecting from the cap B; but, howeverformed or applied, its action upon the stein must be the same-that is tosay, vortcal, not vertical.

I claim as new and of my inventionl. The described combination ot'screwthreaded valve-stem C and spring G, operating upon said stem torotate the same to close the valve, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arrangement of the screw-threaded stem C with the coil or volutesprin g G,'hav ing one end united to or bearing upon the screw/stem andthe other end to the cap or other stationary member, as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In combination with the vertically-moving and self-closing Water-WayF of a hydrant, the cam or eccentric K, or its equivalent, a and for theobject stated.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN A. STACY. Attest:

GEO. K. KNIGHT, J AMES H. LAYMAN.

